Maori women etc. Our Provincial elections are nearly over and we shall have a very fair Council on the whole - The Province is doing well and will have a considerable surplus at end of the year - In addition to that we have a big lump sum to be refunded for interest paid in excess your liability on the Wellington debt - some £14,000 or £15,000 for which Hawkes Bay may thank me - The militia drill is giving great dissatisfaction - In the country districts there is not one single officer who can teach his men anything - the people have in many cases to travel long distances to parade ground and then do nothing and go home again - It is a sad loss of time and very trying to the people. There ought to be some limit to the distance men shd. be called on to go to drill that is the great difficulty of the country districts at Napier - Meanee - Olive etc. it is all easy enough - I wonder the people put up with it - they are constant in the complaints to me - I must close. Always Yours very sincerely J.D. Ormond